Process – A set of interrelated actions and activities performed to achieve a pre-specified product, result, or service. Each process is characterized by its inputs, the tools and techniques that can be applied, and the resulting outputs.

Project Management Processes – Ensure the effective flow of the project throughout its existence and encompass the tools and techniques involved in applying the skills and capabilities described in the Knowledge Areas.

Product-Oriented Processes – Specify and create the project’s product and are typically defined by the project life cycle and vary by application area.

Tailoring – Carefully addressing each process and its constituent inputs and outputs while managing a project.

Project Management Process Groups (or just “Process Groups”)

Initiating – Those processes performed to define a new project or a new phase of an existing project by obtaining authorization to start the project or phase.

Planning – Those processes required to establish the scope of the project, refine the objectives, and define the course of action required to attain the objectives that the project was undertaken to achieve.

Executing – Those processes performed to complete the work defined in the project management plan to satisfy the project specifications.

Monitoring and Controlling – Those processes required to track, review, and regulate the progress and performance of the project; identify any areas in which changes to the plan are required; and initiate the corresponding changes.

Closing – Those processes performed to finalize all activities across all Process Groups to formally close the project or phase.

“Rolling Wave” Planning – Progressive detailing of the project management plan through iterative, ongoing planning and documentation efforts, usually needed due to significant changes occurring throughout the project life cycle.

Figure 1. Project Management Process Groups & Interaction Flow

General Notes

(3.0) In order for a project to be successful, the Project Team must: select appropriate processes required to meet the project objectives; use a defined approach that can be adopted to meet requirements; comply with requirements to meet stakeholder needs and expectations; and balance the competing demands of scope, time, cost, quality, resources, and risk to produce the specified product, service, or result.

(3.2) Process Groups are not project phases. As projects are separated into distinct phases or subprojects such as feasibility study, concept development, design, prototype, build, test, etc., all of the Process Groups would normally be repeated for each phase or subproject.

(3.3) Involving the customers and other stakeholders during initiation generally improves the probability of shared ownership, deliverable acceptance, and customer and other stakeholder satisfaction.